Plans for the winter--Salmon River--Abundance of salmon west of themountains--New arrangements-- Caches--Cerre's detachment--Movements inFontenelle's camp--Departure of the Blackfeet--Their fortunes--Wind Mountainstreams--Buckeye, the Delaware hunter, and the grizzly bear--Bones of murderedtravellers--Visit to Pierre's Hole--Traces of the battle--Nez Perce Indians--Arrival atSalmon River THE INFORMATION derived from the free trappers determined Captain Bonneville asto his further movements. He learned that in the Green River valley the winters weresevere, the snow frequently falling to the depth of several feet; and that there was nogood wintering ground in the neighborhood. The upper part of Salmon River wasrepresented as far more eligible, besides being in an excellent beaver country; andthither the captain resolved to bend his course.
The Salmon River is one of the upper branches of the Oregon or Columbia; and takesits rise from various sources, among a group of mountains to the northwest of the WindRiver chain. It owes its name to the immense shoals of salmon which ascend it in themonths of September and October. The salmon on the west side of the RockyMountains are, like the buffalo on the eastern plains, vast migratory supplies for thewants of man, that come and go with the seasons. As the buffalo in countless throngsfind their certain way in the transient pasturage on the prairies, along the fresh banks ofthe rivers, and up every valley and green defile of the mountains, so the salmon, at theirallotted seasons, regulated by a sublime and all-seeing Providence, swarm in myriadsup the great rivers, and find their way up their main branches, and into the minutesttributory streams; so as to pervade the great arid plains, and to penetrate even amongbarren mountains. Thus wandering tribes are fed in the desert places of the wilderness,where there is no herbage for the animals of the chase, and where, but for theseperiodical supplies, it would be impossible for man to subsist.
The rapid currents of the rivers which run into the Pacific render the ascent of them veryexhausting to the salmon. When the fish first run up the rivers, they are fat and in fineorder. The struggle against impetuous streams and frequent rapids gradually rendersthem thin and weak, and great numbers are seen floating down the rivers on theirbacks. As the season advances and the water becomes chilled, they are flung inmyriads on the shores, where the wolves and bears assemble to banquet on them.
Often they rot in such quantities along the river banks as to taint the atmosphere. Theyare commonly from two to three feet long.
Captain Bonneville now made his arrangements for the autumn and the winter. Thenature of the country through which he was about to travel rendered it impossible toproceed with wagons. He had more goods and supplies of various kinds, also, thanwere required for present purposes, or than could be conveniently transported onhorseback; aided, therefore, by a few confidential men, he made caches , or secretpits,
during the night, when all the rest of the camp were asleep, and in these deposited thesuperfluous effects, together with the wagons. All traces of the caches were thencarefully obliterated. This is a common expedient with the traders and trappers of themountains. Having no established posts and magazines, they make these caches ordeposits at certain points, whither they repair, occasionally, for supplies. It is anexpedient derived from the wandering tribes of Indians.
Many of the horses were still so weak and lame, as to be unfit for a long scramblethrough the mountains. These were collected into one cavalcade, and given in chargeto an experienced trapper, of the name of Matthieu. He was to proceed westward, witha brigade of trappers, to Bear River; a stream to the west of the Green River orColorado, where there was good pasturage for the horses. In this neighborhood it wasexpected he would meet the Shoshonie villages or bands, on their yearly migrations,with whom he was to trade for peltries and provisions. After he had traded with thesepeople, finished his trapping, and recruited the strength of the horses, he was toproceed to Salmon River and rejoin Captain Bonneville, who intended to fix his quartersthere for the winter.
While these arrangements were in progress in the camp of Captain Bonneville, therewas a sudden bustle and stir in the camp of Fontenelle. One of the partners of theAmerican Fur Company had arrived, in all haste, from the rendezvous at Pierre's Hole,in quest of the supplies. The competition between the two rival companies was just nowat its height, and prosecuted with unusual zeal. The tramontane concerns of the RockyMountain Fur Company were managed by two resident partners, Fitzpatrick andBridger; those of the American Fur Company, by Vanderburgh and Dripps. The latterwere ignorant of the mountain regions, but trusted to make up by vigilance and activityfor their want of knowledge of the country.
Fitzpatrick, an experienced trader and trapper, knew the evils of competition in thesame hunting grounds, and had proposed that the two companies should divide thecountry, so as to hunt in different directions: this proposition being rejected, he hadexerted himself to get first into the field. His exertions, as have already been shown,were effectual. The early arrival of Sublette, with supplies, had enabled the variousbrigades of the Rocky Mountain Company to start off to their respective huntinggrounds. Fitzpatrick himself, with his associate, Bridger, had pushed off with a strongparty of trappers, for a prime beaver country to the north-northwest.
This had put Vanderburgh upon his mettle. He had hastened on to meet Fontenelle.
